Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geology

What is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?

One that meets the current and future basic resource needs of its people in

a just and equitable manner without compromising the ability of the future

generations to meet their basic resource needs

Environmental Scientists

John Muir (1892) - created Yosemite National Parks

Created Sierra club

Eugene and Howard (1953) - wrote the first ecology textbook

Rachel Carson (1962) - wrote Silent Spring

Effects of DDT

Lois Gibbs (1980) - formed the Citizens Clearinghouse for hazardous

 waste, petition to Jimmy Carter

The town was called Love Canal

Theodore Roosevelt (1900) - created the United States Forest Service

 for Wildlife

Established 5 national parks

Antiquities Act

James Lovelock (1960s) - created the Gaia

The Devastating Impact of Plastic Pollution

Ubiquitous Waste: A Global Problem

Plastic waste has become ubiquitous, contaminating every corner of our planet, including our oceans. Its persistence and improper disposal lead to its widespread distribution, harming ecosystems and wildlife.

Biodegradable vs. Non-Biodegradable: A Misconception

While plastic may break down into smaller pieces, it does not biodegrade. These fragments can be ingested by animals, entering the food chain and causing contamination and health issues.

The Lasting Legacy of Plastic: A Threat to Humanity

Most plastics are virtually indestructible, outlasting even the harshest conditions. This poses a significant threat to our planet and future generations, as it will continue to... Continue reading "The Devastating Impact of Plastic Pollution: A Call to Action" »

What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the long-term variations in global climate patterns. These changes can be driven by natural processes, external forces, or human activities. However, the term "global warming" specifically highlights the impact of human activities on the planet's temperature.

The Human Impact

Over the past few decades, human activities have significantly contributed to global warming. The Earth's average temperature has risen by approximately two degrees Celsius, and projections indicate continued warming unless we take action. While thousands share responsibility for this change, several key factors contribute to the problem:

• The Greenhouse Effect: The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,

The Electric Scooter Accumulates 3,000 Fines in Barcelona in 2018

The City Council and the Urban Guard warn that these vehicles are not toys, so their drivers must respect the regulations.

The increase in sanctions to electric scooter drivers, about 3,000 in 2018, has led the Barcelona City Council to redouble the information about the traffic regulations of these vehicles, which has been in force since 2017, informed this Friday Ricardo Salas, mayor of the Urban Guard. Manuel Valdés, Manager of Mobility and Infrastructure of the consistory, stressed that these vehicles are not toys and emphasized that it is important to remember the regulations to all those who have thought of buying or giving them away.

Electric scooters are prohibited from

Earth's Crust

Hard outer surface of the earth

Rust

A reddish-brown material that...

Wedges

Objects with a triangular...

Temper

An additive that increases the...

Crush

Press or break into small...

Flux

An additive that reduces the melting...

Breakwaters

Walls built from the...

Metamorphic

Rock transformed by...

Igneous

Rock formed from magma...

Exothermic

Producing heat

Stone Blocks

Quarrying, processing: cutting, shaping, polishing. Aggregates: cleaning, crushing, sorting. Aggregates that come from rivers are called river rock. Crushed rock has irregular edges that provide more friction. Natural stone: limestone, marble, granite, slate, tuff. Stone binders: in construction plaster lime and cement are used as binders to hold other materials together. Plaster, lime,... Continue reading "Types of Rocks, Stone, and Ceramics for Construction" »

TERZA PARTE

1. Fed-batch biological reactor: material balances with Monod kinetics and operating methods:

• it maintains some operational characteristics of the batch, while ensuring constant biomass production such as a CSTR
• Therefore, there is an inlet supply with V˙e and [substrate] Cse and negligible Cxe
• since it is not a continuous reactor, it will never reach the steady state condition, there will always be an accumulation
• at zero time there will be: a certain initial V_R with an initial [substrate], initial [biomass] and subsequently the volume will increase over time.
• Total biomass balance:
• dmtot / dt = me, with me = ρe V ,e,
• from this relationship we obtain that
  1. dVr / dt = V˙e.
• At this point two feeding strategies can be considered,
  1. 1. one with

Troposphere

The troposphere is the layer that contains 20% of all the gases of the atmosphere. Meteorological phenomena, such as clouds and precipitation, take place in the troposphere.

Stratosphere

The stratosphere is the layer that contains the ozone layer. This absorbs much of the Sun's radiation, so temperatures rise in the stratosphere.

Mesosphere

The mesosphere has very low temperatures, reaching -140°C.

Thermosphere

The thermosphere is also known as the ionosphere. Temperatures in this layer are very high.

Exosphere

The exosphere is the outer layer of the atmosphere. Artificial satellites orbit the Earth in the exosphere.

The Earth's crust is made up of three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks are formed when magma (molten rock) cools and solidifies. They can be classified into two main types: intrusive and extrusive.

• Intrusive igneous rocks are formed when magma cools and solidifies slowly beneath the Earth's surface.
• Extrusive igneous rocks are formed when magma cools and solidifies quickly on the Earth's surface.

Sedimentary Rocks

Sedimentary rocks are formed when sediments (pieces of other rocks, minerals, or organic matter) are compacted and cemented together.

• Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation of broken pieces of other rocks.
• Chemical sedimentary rocks are formed from the precipitation

Oceanography: Earth's Marine Realm

Ocean Coverage and Resources

Oceans cover 71% of Earth's surface and hold 97% of its water. They provide crucial resources, including one-third of natural gas and oil, 16% of protein, and 50% of our oxygen.

Maps and Projections

A map is a representation, usually on a flat surface, of a region of Earth or the heavens. A projection is the image of a geometric figure reproduced on a line, plane, or surface.

Types of Maps:

• Political
• Physiographic
• Geologic
• Topographic
• Bathymetric

Ocean Provinces

• Continental Margins: Shallow areas close to shore.
• Deep-Ocean Basins: Deep-water areas farther from land.
• Mid-Ocean Ridge: A submarine mountain range.

Geological Features

Hot spots are plumes originating from the core-mantle boundary.... Continue reading "Oceanography: Exploring Earth's Vast Marine Realm" »